The party room of the Elysée Palace under the presidency of Vincent Auriol, January 1, 1950. AFP
There are about 20 people working in the kitchens of the Elysée Palace preparing meals for French President Emmanuel Macron. There’s even more if you count the sommeliers, butlers, florists, silversmiths and housekeepers. The kitchens have to provide 100s of meals a day for all those who work here, including gendarmes and advisors. It’s hard work, especially considering the big state dinners, those attended by royalty and presidents of so many countries.
Gastronomy at the nation’s service
French cuisine, accompanied by a major asset, great French wines, has the ideal opportunity to serve the nation. And the occupant of the Elysée, whatever his political ideology, has never failed to make the kitchen, as well as the cellar, a showcase for his country’s famous expertise. It’s a mark of power. “In all the palaces of power, the chefs in the kitchens help those who run the countries take a seat around the same table. They make these moments an invitation to friendship, dialogue and peace,” wrote Emmanuel Macron in his introduction to Guillaume Gomez’s beautiful, richly illustrated book, A la table des présidents (“At the Presidents’ Table”).
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